Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-06-26


was IN the habit Of supplying the Werkle
family, and who had driven up to the
Blocker street door few minutes be-
fore hall past 6 and given his professional
call. He stated that while he was in the
act OF filing the small can for delivery to
the lanitOr the storm door had been part.
ly opened and man, whose face he did
not see, had told him that the family had
gone into the country snd that no milk
was needed. Upon this, and without
making any inquiries, the milkman had
jumped on mis- box and driven away. He
added, in reply 10 the Inspectors CUES
tons, that he would not be able to iden-
tity the man, for he had seen no more OF
him than one arm and shoulder and had
heard MIN speak barely q dozen words.
The next witness to be admitted was
Daniel Keely, the regular Waterman of
the bank. This man was one OF those
whom there was some reason to suspect
of completely in the CRIME, mis- position
rendering it possible for him TO provide
the burglars with opportunities for ep-
preaching the bank. His appearance,
however, When.' he confronted me in
spectOr, was frank and honest, and his
story was straightforward. He stated
that he had gone on duty at ! ] O'Clock on
Saturday night, a. which time everything
about the bank had aeen perfectly quiet
and regular. No suspicious persons had
come within view during his watch, and
he had exchanged WOro5 with no one ex-
cept an occasional policeman. He had
spent the seven hours between ii at
night and the next morning il pacing
slowly to ana fro past the Blocker street
and Broadway sides OF the bank building;
he was never longer than a couple of
minutes out Of sight of either side; he
was positive that he had not doZed for a
moment. At O'Clock, the street beng
ST that tine vacant, he had entered the
second Blocker street door and gone up
to Werkle'S rooms to awaken MIN.
ibid you find the Blocker street door
locked when you went I'M" the Inspector
asked.
Keely replied that he had. The lock
was a spring lock, and could only be
opened with psss'aeya During the
daytime it was fastened baCR>by catch.
He had unlocked the door and had closed
it behind him, when, of course, it re-
locked Itself. After awakening Werkle,
re at once returned down stairs, opened
the door by pushing back the spring, and
went home and to bed. lie was positive
that no one could have entered. this part
of the builking while he was in it.
"And yet" thought the Inspector to
himself, "the six men mus&' have been in
Werkle's room before Keely got back to
the street. Unless he is lying, therefore,
they must have spent the night in the
We must look into that"
After cross-eXamining keely severely,
without causing him tS vary from
his story, he allowed him to go,
but gave directions that he should be
watched Qntil further orders. |
He then sent al officer in plain clothes to
investigate the upper floors Of the bank |
building, and report upon shy traces of !
occupation that ne might /
ind there. The officer brought back |
word that the two upper floors were not |
-ented; and that III & room on one Of |
hese he had come upon plain evidence
hat several persons had spent the night I
here, though the evidence was not of a
character that could lead TO an Identified
ion Of the persons. The inference WAS.
therefore,, that the six burglars had made
heir way into the upper part of the build
Hg Just before The door was locked for
had thus been able TO pounce
lpou Werkle the moment Kelly mad left
am But neither this circumstance nor
nvtAiug else that had come to light gave
romise of dispensing the obscurity which
nveloped every feature Of this unpar-
lleled crime.
The only remaining witness was one
'atrick Shevelin, brother-in-laW of Kee-
? and supplementary watchman at the !
ank. His hours of duty were generally
ucing the daytime on Sundays He was I
OF so Intelligent looking man as keelv;
is aspect was of dull good nature; be |
answered al questions readily and, so far i
S could be judged. ingeniously. There {
ere certainly fewer obvious grounds Of !
Ispicion against him than against Keely; {
I'D such Information regarding his past /
areer as happened to be ST hand showed {
0thinG 10 mis- discredlt. Nevertheless, {
nee no chance, however remote, must {
2 neglected, il was necessary not only to G
canine Snevelin, but 10 hold him IN sus- {
ci0n. His statement that he knew moth /
g Whatever about the affair was probe- +
7 true: but at the same time it was pos I
nly false. In his conversation with this i
30 the inspector, whether instinc.iYeIy Q
OF design, adopted 81 easier and more 0
fa5le demeanor than with the others, as S
to Indicate to him that the examiDa- 4
ln was more g matter Of form thsu any, \
lug else He allowed him 10 tell MS Y
Org in his own weY, and even to ram &
. of occasionally into irrelevant topics,
ID contented himself meanwhile with Il
skiRg keen, but unObtrusiVe study OF "
S gace, voice and expression. One would Y
most have said that the Inspector had e
yited Shevelin 70 call on him merely Al
l the pleasure Of his company.
A. length he told the Watchman thst he Il
,uld detain him no longer and that he h
IS at liberty TO go where he pleased. g
evelin babe the Inspector good-day, "
d turned to go out; but rs he did so Ct
2 Inspector, whose eyes were still fixed o.
on him, noticed peculiar smile pass B